A biodegradable composition having resistance to moisture and organic waste is provided.

A system and method of monitoring and controlling cellulose-consuming pests in a predetermined location, providing for the use of an assembly that has a main body with a cylindrical upper portion and a lower portion continuously co-axially formed with the upper portion. The lower portion is formed as blades meeting at a lowermost point and defining a sharp bottom point that helps penetrate the soil in the selected location. A plurality of cellulose-containing bait units are detachably fitted in the lower portion and the upper portion. The bait units fitted in the lower portion are retained by the blade portions, which engage radial slots of the bait units. A moisture-retaining member is positioned in the upper portion above an uppermost of the bait units. A removable cap frictionally fittingly engages with the upper portion. The cap has an opening allowing water to be poured into the main body to moisten the bait units and make them more attractive to foraging insects. If consumption of the cellulose material is detected, the bait units may be substituted with a bait material containing poisonous substance. The pests consume the bait and carry the poison to the colonies.

The present invention provides an apparatus for diffusing a chemical substance comprising: a chamber having a diffusing member arranged to diffuse a chemical substance to air disposed within the chamber, wherein the chamber is in communication with an air-inlet arranged to receive air from an exterior of the chamber and an air-outlet arranged to expel air from within the chamber.

The present invention provides a device for diffusing a compound comprising: a chamber arranged to store a compound, wherein the chamber includes an agitator member arranged to disturb the compound within the chamber to diffuse the compound into air within the chamber.

The device for evaporating volatile substances comprises a casing (1) provided with a housing for the placement of a refill (2) containing the volatile substances, and is characterised in that said casing (1) comprises a surface (3) provided with at least one coupling element (5) in order to couple an additional element (4), said additional element comprising a frame (7) and a releasable sheet (8). It provides an evaporation device that can be easily customised.

A system for sterilizing a physical space, such as a hotel room. The system generates and distributes heated air to the physical space to elevate the temperature of the space to a level sufficient to achieve a desired sterilization effect of eradicating insects and microoganisms. The system is portable and self-contained. The system includes a hydrogen fuel cell that generates electrical power. An electrical system conditions and stores the electrical power and supplies stored electrical power to the system components and peripherals. System components include a source of hydrogen, a heater, an air distributor, and a filter. Peripherals include a UV light source and an aerosol dispenser. The combination of heat, UV light and aerosol disinfectant effectively eradicates insects, microorganisms, allergens, and odors in the physical space.

A refill for holding at least two compositions comprises a container including a body and first and second compositions disposed within the body such that the first and second compositions are substantially separated and the second composition is disposed above the first composition. The refill further includes a tube disposed within the body of the container such that the tube contains the first and second compositions, wherein the tube has an inner diameter and an outer diameter. Still further, the refill includes a wick disposed within the tube, wherein the wick contains the first and second compositions and has a diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the tube to create a gap between the wick and the tube.

A volatile composition dispenser includes a housing having opposing first and second walls that are joined along their peripheries to one another. The first wall has an aperture and the second wall has a plurality of apertures. Within the housing, rests a volatile composition cartridge and a gap, which exists between the cartridge and a bottom surface of the housing, wherein said bottom surface is formed from a joinder of a base portion of one or both of the first and second walls, and wherein, upon activation, the exposure percentage of the dispenser is from about 40% to about 90%; wherein at least about 60% of the total surface area of the plurality of apertures results from individual apertures of said plurality that each have an area of at least 30 mm.sup.2 and an aspect ratio of at least about 1:2. Dispenser of a similar housing, cartridge, and gap when is activated by a user and thirty days after said activation, exhibits about 70% to 90% weight loss of said volatile composition of a partially exposed membrane of a fully exposed membrane.

The current subject matter relates to controlling insects and includes a trap that can vary operation based at least on a target insect. For example, different insects are attracted to and/or repelled by different things, such as gases, orders, lights, and sounds. In general, things that attract a given insect are referred to as attractants and things that repel a given insect are referred to as repellents. By varying the operation of the trap, different attractants and repellants can be used to attract and/or repel specific insects. In addition, these attractants and repellants and/or characteristics thereof can these be varied dynamically based on, for example, time of day, proximity of individuals to the trap, proximity of insects to the trap, geographic location, and the like. Related apparatus, system, articles, and techniques are also described.

Composite materials that are palatable to a wood-destroying pest species and also pesticidal to the pest species can be used in pest control devices and can be used as wood substitutes for structural components, which are resistant to destruction by wood-destroying pests. The composite materials include a thermoplastic polymer, a food material for the pest and a pesticide. The composite material is formed by mixing a thermoplastic polymer, wood fragments or other cellulosic materials and a quantity of pesticide, and thereafter creating a molten material within a mixer, compounder, extruder or the like. The molten material is extruded or molded to form the desired shape.